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July 31, 2008

Document Number 2008-06

INCORPORATING NFPA 472 (2008) INTO ONTARIO CURRICULA

(External Distribution)
The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM), through the Ontario Fire College, provides support to fire departments and other emergency response organizations that respond to hazardous materials emergencies by offering pertinent courses and training. These courses and training follow NFPA 472, Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents.
The OFM has recently adopted the 2008 edition of NFPA 472, entitled Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents. This edition presents significant changes. Ontario played a key role in working with the NFPA Technical Committee to ensure that these changes would be manageable.

Key changes include:

The table below outlines changes being made to courses and curricula.

Chapter from NFPA 472, 2008 edition How it will be incorporated Details
Chapter 4, Competencies for Awareness Level Personnel Ontario will continue to offer training based on the 2002 edition of NFPA 472, which meets and exceeds the 2008 edition. This training is incorporated into the Ontario Standardized Curriculum for Firefighters. The course Terrorism/Hazardous Materials Awareness for First Responders in Ontario: Self-study, which meets and exceeds the 2008 edition of NFPA 472, will remain posted on the Office of the Fire Marshal Web site for use in Ontario.
Chapter 5, Core Competencies for Operations Level Responders The content of Chapter 5 has been incorporated into the Ontario Standardized Curriculum for Firefighters, and will be used as a building block or prerequisite for the more advanced courses.

The only skill specific to Chapter 5 is emergency decontamination.
 		 Course: Hazardous Materials – Operations Level, Part I

Competencies relating to personal protective equipment required for the Operations level can be acquired through training on the use of structural firefighting gear.

Competencies relating to product control required for the Operations level can be acquired through training in vehicle extrication and containment of ignitable or flammable liquids.
Chapter 6, Competencies for Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities
6.2 Personal Protective Equipment
6.3 Mass Decontamination
6.4 Technical Decontamination
6.5 Evidence Preservation and Sampling
6.6 Product Control
6.7 Air Monitoring and Sampling
6.8 Victim Rescue and Recovery Operations
6.9 Response to Illicit Laboratory Incidents		 A new course, entitled Hazardous Materials - Operations Level, Part II, will be developed in order to maintain the level of competency required by the Level 2 provincial teams and other responders who require higher levels of competency.

This new course will build upon the knowledge and skills described in Chapter 5 (Core).
 		 Hazardous Materials - Operations Level, Part II
  • New course based on the 2008 edition of NFPA 472
  • Prerequisite: Hazardous Materials – Operations Level, Part 1, course based on Chapter 5 of the 2008 edition of NFPA 472
  • Content will include:
    • 6.2 Personal Protective Equipment (to include Level A suits)
    • 6.3 Mass Decontamination
    • 6.4 Technical Decontamination
    • 6.6 Product Control (to a higher level)
    • 6.7 Air Monitoring & Sampling
Chapter 7, Competencies for Hazardous Materials Technicians The course Hazardous Materials - Technician Level is in the process of being revised.

Course revisions will reflect changes that have been made to NFPA 472. Learner and facilitator guides are currently being developed.

The course will continue to be used to train members of the Level 3 Provincial CBRNE/HazMat teams in accordance with agreements between the Government of Ontario and various municipalities.		 Hazardous Materials - Technician Level
  • Course currently being revised
  • Prerequisites:
    • Terrorism/Hazardous Materials Awareness for First Responders in Ontario: Self-study
    • Hazardous Materials – Operations Level, Parts 1 & II
  • Content will include:
    • All of Chapter 7 of NFPA 472
    • Chapter 6 (more in-depth study)
    • 6.8 Victim Rescue & Recovery Operations

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